Republican Drops Senate Challenge To Heller After Trump Urging

Danny Tarkanian, who was planning to primary challenge Nevada Senator Dean Heller (R-Nevada) announced he will now run for the House of Representatives after President Trump convinced him to drop his Senate bid.

Tarkanian had been running further to the right of Heller and blasted the Nevada senator as a weak ally to Trump. However, after Trump endorsed Tarkanian for the House, the Senate hopeful announced his intention to switch races.

“It would be great for the Republican Party of Nevada, and its unity if good guy Danny Tarkanian would run for Congress and Dean Heller, who is doing a really good job, could run for Senate unopposed.”

It would be great for the Republican Party of Nevada, and it’s unity if good guy Danny Tarkanian would run for Congress and Dean Heller, who is doing a really good job, could run for Senate unopposed!

Shortly after the tweet, Tarkanian’s campaign released a statement saying he would run for Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District:

“I am confident I would have won the US Senate race and done a great job representing the people of Nevada in the Senate, but the President is adamant that a unified Republican ticket in Nevada is the best direction for the America First Movement. With President Trump’s full support and endorsement, I am filing to run again in CD3 with the firm belief that we will finish what we started in 2016 and win in 2018.”

Tarkanian ran for that district in 2016 and lost to Democrat Jacky Rosen by 1 point. But now that Rosen is running for Senate, that seat is open for Tarkanian to make another bid.

Republicans are likely to breathe a sigh of relief now that Heller doesn’t have to fend off a primary challenge. Heller is seen as the most vulnerable Senate Republican on the ballot in 2018.

Heller will most likely face off against Rosen, who is the top candidate on the Democratic side, in the general election.